So, I got into a fight. It was so stupid - full disclosure, it was over a desk. I wanted to move into a space at work and this other girl didn’t want me to. In the whole process, she said and did some things that hurt my feelings. Now, I don’t want you to get the wrong idea. I’m not a cry-at-movies kind of girl. I could not relate to the movie Mean Girls or any shows like 90210 or Pretty Little Liars. I don’t do drama. But there I am, getting my feelers hurt about a desk.

First of all, you should know there are all sorts of arguments about how Jesus rose from the dead on a Saturday or a completely different time of year. There are entire religions full of people who don’t believe Jesus rose from the dead at all. But that’s not what we’re talking about. We’re talking about who we celebrate on Easter and why we celebrate Him. You came for one sentence. Here it goes.

Sarah is intelligent, soft-spoken, and kind. She has a gentle laugh and a way about her that makes you feel at ease in a moment. But honestly, I was nervous to talk to her. She lives in a part of the world where it’s illegal to share her faith. As I was preparing for our conversation, I thought, “What persecutionhave I faced for following Jesus? Nothing that comes close to losing my life or family. I wonder what this conversation will be like?”

“How can you still not spell this word? We’ve practiced every night for the last three days!” I say to my six-year-old daughter as I recall winning—or maybe losing—my elementary spelling bee. We’ve all been there. Maybe it was hitting a ball, working an equation, fitting into a dress, making a grade, getting into a college, or starting the right profession. At some point, we’ve found our hope firmly seated on a one-way train steaming ahead off the steep cliff of living vicariously through the very people who were intended to “spring off” of us. Yet we know our offspring should be motivated by our momentum, not halted by our hang-ups.

It’s become a cultural norm for us to hide our shame and our struggles. We try to cover them up, and social media makes it all too easy to hide our hearts behind a glossy filter and a carefully crafted caption.

Schools are failing, foods are modified, glaciers are melting, teens these days, churches are dying … you’ve heard it all. You may have even said it all. Either way, it’s bad news. Without undermining any of these real conversations, a Christ follower can boldly say, “I’m optimistic.” Why? Because we’re not optimistic based on what our eyes see. We’re optimistic based on what our God says. But, what does our God say? We don’t have to guess. His words have been written down for us.

Our mission is to lead people to become fully devoted followers of Christ.

Church Online at Life.Church is a community of people all over the world experiencing God and connecting with one another like never before in history. What does that mean? It means you have found a place to encounter God and people who care about you – just as you are, anywhere in the world.